Bottle cleaning device



ug. 8, 1933. J, A. KoPNlcKY 1,921,680

BOTTLE CLEANING DEVI CE Filed April 9, 1932 IN VEN TOR. i ao l?.ffii/UNIT? BY www 27M ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 8,1933 i UNITED STATESPATENTOFFICE 1,921,680 y Y Y L i i f Bofr'rLE oLEANINGmDEvIoE Joseph-lliopnicky," Stratford, UConn. Ap'pucatign A 'pr'il Y'9",f19`3aserialrNb. 604,177 4 4fc1aims.-`(o1.15-179) This invention relates tonew and useful provements in means for cleaning bottlesV and moreparticularlyifvor removing labels-and other foreign. matter fromtheouter surface Aof, the

, corrugations bottles.

` Y 5 neck of bottles and especially the depressions'orv surrounding.'the if mouth of .such

to provide a bottle cleaning means having yieldable brushes; pref,-

erably formed gage the periphery of the neck of a bottle and toY ofwire, arranged to yieldably enmount the same for rotary movement `aroundthe neck ofthe bottle. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby theforeign matterremoved from the bottles will be, thrown away fronrthebottle and `out ofthe brush, carrying head, by centrifugal force duetothe rapid rotary movement impartedthereto. [A still further object ofthe invention is'to provide a'rotatable'Y brush carrying head forvcleansing the outersurface of' the neck of bottles, andtoprovided/means whereby an additional brush may be inserted in the headfor cleaning the inside of the bottle. f

Another feature of the invention'is towprovide brushes for'the abovepurpose, the bristles of which may be, mountedin individual clusters Vsoas to permit the removal` and replacement of theclusters of bristleslocated in any particular portion of the clusters.

With these Vention reside holder and the substitution of new and otherobjects in view,'the ins and consistsin the construction and novelcombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter` more fully described,villustrated the accompanyingdrawing, and pointedlout in the claimshereto appended, it beingunderstood that various` changes in the form,proportion,

corresponding from the spirit, or sacrificing any parts throughout theseveralgures of the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification and upon which Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of my bottlecleaning device, including a Vmotor for `rotating the same, and abottlein position to be cleaned;f

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section a I suitably supported1in the cylindrical holder `so that their bristles 26 will 'pr'ojectinwardtoward of the bottle cleaning device, shown in Fig. 1,

but upon a relatively larger scale;

. Fig. 3 shows a frontend device;V e

Fig. 4 show s an enlarged view of one ofthe 'by alset screw 17.

view of the cleaning removable brush units, Vas contained `in thepreence Vmarked upon the drawing, l0 represents anelectric motor havinga `driven shaftrll to which .the `bottle cleaning head yl2 is attached,asv by means vof screwsjl, A bottle .14, which v maybe vof any of theybeverage type, is. shown positioned inthe cleaning head, with its neck'in position to be cleaned.l In practice'the Vbottle l is supported inthis position bythe hand of the operator.

The construction 1, is more clearly illustrated in the largeriviews,Figs. 2 and 3, rand discloses aycylindri'cal hollow 'bodyyhaving ahubportion that is provided with a longitudinal bore 15 to fit` the drivingshaft 1'1, and to which itisrsecured by` means of the' u beforementioned set'srcrew 13. -This bore extends through vthe axis of thehead andserves to'` receive a guide pin' 16 that is secured AthereinThis .guide pinv is also provided with a central longitudinal h ole v1 8toreceivefthe shank of an attachable brush 19` which may be-used forcleaning the insidefof` the bottle, iidesired, simultaneously with thecleaning of the neck of" the( bottle. n l i Y Y The cylindrical headisjopen'at its forward end,

except fora perforated cap 20 which serves toprevent thev brushblocks 21frornfsli'ding out. The brushes are thus contained in a cylindricalchamber 22, which is `of alarger diameter ,across its louterend portionlthan its'rear portionfby Vflanges 25 to limit theiinward movement ofthe* v brush blocks and to normally position one end portion of thebrush'in further than the other vend, betterl lto conform to the shapeof the neck of a bottle. l 'f vvi I preferably employ four brush blocksthat are the axis fof the holderin-spaced relation so as toy provideroom to insert the bottleneck there. a I

between for the purpose of cleaning; the same,V

9c reason ofthe inner cyundricarwauof thehead before referred to.

These brushes are adapted for slight yieldable f radial movement betterto accommodate them to the peripheral surface of the bottles, and areheld against excess radial movement, due to centrifugal force when thehead is rapidly rotated, by means of equalizing devices, one for eachbrush holder, asis shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. These equalizing deviceseach comprise a lever 27 that is hingedly supported as at 28 to ears 29formed on the outer surface of the head. A pin 30 is car.- ried by theforward end of these levers and slidably extends through a hole 31 intheshell 'of ther head in line with the brush so as to loosely sup- K portthe same. The other end of the lever 27 is provided with a weight 32,the tendency of which is to move outward with the rapid rotation of thehead, causing a resultant inward movement of the other end of the loverand its pin 30.

An adjusting screwA 33 is mounted in theinner end of the lever so as to.form a stop that limits the inward movementof the pin 30 and its lever27. By this arrangement, it will be seen that the brushes are looselymounted and are therefore more oriess flexible, better to permit theinsertion and removalof Ythe bottles.v At the same time, the, brushesVare suiiicien'tly supported to insure the necessary cleansing operation.

The bristles 26 of they brush are lpreferably mounted in central Yholesformed in one end of cylindrical holders 34 by setting up or swedging inthe stock of the holder immediately adjacent to and surrounding the saidbunch of bristles. This holder is provided with a central tapped hole 35to receive an adjusting screw 36 loosely mounted in anexternally'threaded sleeve 37 that is adapted to threadably engage thebrush blocks 21. A springf33 is mounted onthis screw between the end ofthe holder 34 and the sleeve 37, which'permits longitudinal movement ofthe screw in the sleeve against the action of the spring, and vwherebyindividual radial movement is made possible independent of the radialmovement of the brush blocks. This independent movement serves to affordslight flexible Vaction as between the different bunches of bristles.

In the modification shown inFig. 5, the brush 'members as shown in Fig.4, are shown mounted in an integral part 12a of the head, in whichcase'the equalizing device 27 would not be employed. The modificationvshown in Fig. 6, illus- `tratesa simple and inexpensive'form of brushHaving thus described my invention, what l' claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

l. A bottle cleaning device comprising a head adapted for attachment toa rotatable shaft and including a hollow cylindrical portion, inwardlydisposed brush blocks having a series of threaded pockets therein, aremovable brush holder within each pocket, an externally threaded sleevemounted in the pocket, a screw mounted in the sleeve and engaging theholder, and a spring mounted on the screw between the sleeve and holderto press the latter inward, for yieldable engagement with a bottle.

2. A bottle cleaning device comprising a head adapted for attachment toa rotatable shaft and including a hollow cylindrical portion open at oneend, elongated pockets formed on said hollow cylindrical-portion andhaving stop flanges inclined outwardly inthe direction of said open end,a removable brush block mounted in each of said pockets and adapted tobe supported at an incline against said stop flanges, a series ofmovable brush holders mounted in each block, and means for independentlypressing the individual brush holders inwardV for engagement with abottle,

vend and whose inner surface flares outwardly toward said open endthereof, elongated pockets formed on said hollow cylindrical inclinednpor- Y Y.

tion and having stop flanges inclined outwardly in the direction of saidopen end, a removable brush block mounted in each'of said pockets andadapted to be supported at an Vincline against said stop flanges, aseries of movable brushholders mounted in each block, means forindependently pressing the individual brush holders inward forengagement with a bottle when positionedbetween the brush blocks, .n

4. Abottle cleaning device comprising head adapted for attachment to arotatable shaft and including a hollow cylindrical portion open at oneend and lwhose inner surface` flares outwardly toward said vopen endthereof, elongated pockets formed on saidfhollow cylindrical inclinedportion and having stop flanges inclined outwardly in the direction ofits open end, a movablebru'sh block mounted in each of said pocketsand'adapted to be supportedat an incline against said stop flanges, aseries of spring actuatedbrush holders mounted in each block,l springmeans for independently pressing the individual brush holders inward forengagement with a bottle when positioned between the movable brushblocks, and an equalizing device adapted to provide additional inwardpressure upon the blocks with increased speed of rotation of the head.

y JOSEPH A. IYOPNICKY;

